Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has dismissed demands from candidates seeking refunds over charges incurred while trying to check their delayed 2026 UTME results.
Gatekeepers News reports that the controversy followed a delay in the release of results for candidates who sat the examination on April 17, after the board initially indicated that the results would be available before midnight. However, the deadline was not met, leading many candidates to repeatedly attempt to access their results via SMS, attracting multiple charges.
Reacting to the complaints, JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, maintained that the board cannot be held responsible for the deductions, stressing that no official announcement had been made confirming the release of results at the time candidates were making attempts.
He questioned the basis for the refund requests, insisting that candidates acted prematurely.
“Why would you say they deduct money for something that has not been released? When we release results, we will tell Nigerians. So what refunds are you talking about?” If they check, how is that supposed to be our business?” he said.
The board explained that the release of UTME results is a sensitive process that requires the direct involvement of its registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, who was temporarily unavailable due to an official engagement.
JAMB later apologised for the delay and assured candidates that results would be released once due processes were completed, urging them to rely only on official communication before attempting to check their scores.
